UK doctor who led gender healthcare review says children ‘weaponised’ by social media

Hilary Cass, the doctor who led a landmark review of the UK's National Health Service gender care for under-18s, has accused social media of "weaponising" young people and misleading them about the realities of transitioning. Her findings prompted sweeping changes, including a ban on puberty blockers, and she recently welcomed new draft guidance from Britain's Department for Education while cautioning that no policy can be entirely foolproof.

Baroness Cass, speaking on the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, addressed the ongoing debate over children's gender healthcare. Her independent review, commissioned by the NHS, exposed significant gaps in evidence for medical interventions and led to a halt in routine prescriptions of puberty blockers for minors outside clinical trials.

The draft guidance, published by the Department for Education earlier this week, aims to provide schools and teachers with clearer advice on handling gender-related issues among pupils. Baroness Cass praised the effort but noted its limitations, stating it is impossible for such policies to be "completely foolproof."

She emphasized a nuanced approach to supporting young people, distinguishing between those experiencing temporary distress and a smaller group with persistent needs. "There are a tiny number of people who will never be comfortable with their biological sex, with the gender associated with their biological sex," she said.

For this minority, Baroness Cass argued, medical intervention may be essential. "For them, a medical pathway is the only way they’re going to live their life comfortably. We don’t understand why that is, but we have to try and help those people thrive as much as the young people who are going to grow out of this," she told the BBC program.

Her comments highlight the complex balance in gender care, where social media's influence has amplified confusion among youth, according to the review leader. The NHS changes and new educational draft reflect an effort to prioritize evidence-based support amid rising referrals for gender services.